Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has read the Riot Act to any person who engages in the act of rape, violence against women and cultism in the state.

The governor gave the warning on Thursday at this year’s International Women’s Day Celebration, tagged: ‘Press for Progress’, at the Ibom Hall Ground, Uyo, the state capital.

He said: “As women are pressing for progress, we are putting up a serious fight against rape.”

Emmanuel, who encouraged any victim of rape to feel free to report it to the appropriate authority, assured that the identity of such victim would be protected.

According to him, “We are going to work seriously to make sure we put an end to rape. Please don’t fail to report it to us, we will not expose the identity of victims”, adding: “We need to bring those people who are culprits to book.

“We must not continue to put our women through those pains. Even if it is an attempted rape, let us know. Nobody will threaten you and if anybody threatens you, report such a person to us.”

He said the First Lady of the State, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel, had earlier launched a walk campaign against rape and violence against women to sensitise residents against the evil associate with rape and violence against women.

Emmanuel further commended the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Godwin Abraham, for setting up a designated court in Eket to try all cases involving rape and violence against women.

The governor pointed out that his administration is also mounting a war against cultism in secondary schools in the state.

He said this was necessary to stop the recruitment of minors into cultism and from threatening teachers and innocent citizens.

Emmanuel, who also urged the women to go out to press for self-fulfillment and not to be limited by cultural imposition, tasked them to talk to their children who are in schools to face their education to forestall joining cult groups.

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